Strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertiliser applied to dryland sorghum. Part 4. Using 15N to discover the fate of N fertiliser - 2012 Quirindi

2012 - 2014

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Bruce Haigh (NSW DPI)
Graeme Schwenke (NSW DPI)
Year(s) 2012 - 2014
Contributor Department of Primary Industries NSW
Trial location(s) Breeza, NSW
Quirindi, NSW
Tamworth Agricultural Institute, NSW
Further information View external link
Strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertiliser applied to dryland sorghum. Part 4. Using 15N to discover the fate of N fertiliser - 2012 Quirindi locations
Aims

To report on trials conducted in 2012–13 using 15N applied at three N rates (40, 120 and 200 kg N/ha) were reported previously, but those results are repeated here for comparison with more recent trial results.

Key messages
  • For three seasons, we applied isotope-labelled urea (15N) to sorghum in small (0.75–1.0 m2) plots, then calculated nitrogen (N) recovery by comparing the amount applied with the total 15N found in grain, crop residues and soil.
  • Between 55–85% of the N fertiliser applied was recovered at harvest, meaning a 15–45% loss, presumably during wet soil conditions when nitrate denitrification led to N2 and N2O gaseous losses.
  • In very wet conditions, little of the applied N remained in the soil at harvest, while in a dry season there was more of the applied N found in the soil at harvest than in the plant.
Lead research organisation Department of Primary Industries NSW
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC DAN00129
Related program NANORP Filling the Research Gap
Acknowledgments

This project was funded by NSW DPI and the Australian Government Department of Agriculture as part of project DAN00129: NANORP filling the research gap. Many thanks to Annabelle McPherson, Bill Keene, Kamal Hossain, Helen Squires, Mandy Holland, and Peter Sanson for assistance with field sampling and measurements, and the Tamworth cereal agronomy team for assistance with crop agronomy. Thanks also to Incitec Pivot Fertilisers Ltd for the supply of Entec®, NV®, and the polymer-coated urea (not currently a commercial product).


Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Sorghum
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Application Method
Trial type
Trial design

Breeza 2012

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Breeza 2013

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Breeza 2014

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Quirindi 2012

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Quirindi 2013

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Quirindi 2014

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Tamworth Agricultural Institute 2012

Sow date 8 December 2012
Harvest date 3 March 2013
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Tamworth Agricultural Institute 2013

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Tamworth Agricultural Institute 2014

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Breeza, NSW Not specified
Quirindi, NSW Not specified
Tamworth Agricultural Institute, NSW Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Breeza, NSW Sodosol
Quirindi, NSW Dermosol
Tamworth Agricultural Institute, NSW Vertosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Breeza NSW Quirindi NSW Tamworth Agricultural Institute NSW
2014 371.0mm192.5mm788.1mm
2013 385.9mm229.6mm780.3mm
2012 415.5mm260.1mm774.5mm
2011 414.7mm247.3mm772.8mm
2010 429.5mm272.2mm799.1mm
2009 388.5mm238.6mm784.3mm
2008 365.5mm266.2mm792.0mm
2007 359.3mm250.6mm788.5mm
2006 373.1mm263.7mm790.3mm
2005 376.3mm283.9mm797.4mm
2004 406.5mm324.7mm799.1mm
2003 402.5mm366.9mm800.0mm
2002 330.7mm367.6mm781.0mm
2001 349.6mm444.2mm777.0mm
2000 397.9mm526.3mm747.4mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

Breeza NSW

Quirindi NSW

Tamworth Agricultural Institute NSW

Breeza NSW

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Quirindi NSW

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Tamworth Agricultural Institute NSW

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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2012 trial report



Trial last modified: 19-10-2023 14:20pm AEST